The shocking scale of tax dodging in Greece was laid bare yesterday in a report showing that professionals are among the worst offenders.

The study found that self-employed Greeks evaded a staggering £22.4billion of tax in 2009 – almost half the size of the country’s deficit in 2008 and a third of the shortfall in 2009.

The chief offenders were doctors, engineers, private tutors, accountants, people in financial services and lawyers, according to the report by economists at Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago.

It came as Greek ministers held talks with the troika of inspectors from the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund over its emergency aid.